Fastening means for detachably securing handles to operating shafts



July 22, 1941. e. F. TURNER FASTENING" MEANS FOR DETAGHABLY SECURINGHANDLES T0 OPERATING SHAFTS Original Filed May 1, 1937 ATTORNEYfi.

Patented July 22, 1941 FASTENING FOR DETACHABLY SECURING HANDLES TOOPERATING SHAFTS George Turner, Chicago, 111., assignor to Harper-'WymanCompany, a -oorporation 01' .Illinois Original application May 1, 1937,Serial No. 140,105, snow Patent No. 2,191,294, dated February 20, 1940.Divided and this application July 3, 1939,, Serial No. 282,589

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved means for detachablysecuring a handle to a shaft or stem of the type employed for manuallyactuating or adjusting various types of devices or instruments. Theinvention is herein illustrated as applied to the stem and handle of agas range valve but it will be apparent that the invention maybe appliedwith equal advantage to all-similar stems or operating shafts such asthose used for radio parts, controls on automobiles and other similarappliances. 7

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved stem or shaftconstruction, preferably of non-round cross section, together with ahandle therefor having a socket of corresponding shape adapted to fit onthe stem or shaft so that theshaft may be readily turned by means ofsuch handle. The shaft is also provided with attaching means whichestablishes 'a strong frictional engagement with the inner-surface ofthe handle socket whereby the handle in use is maintained againstaccidental displacement while at the same time is capable of beingremoved from the stem by a forced movement in an axial direction and ofbeing applied to the stem of the-shaft by an axial thrust in theopposite direction. This invention provides a very convenient andsatisfactory means for mounting such operating handles particularly incases where it is desirable to be able to quickly remove such handles to"enable the removal of other parts of the apparatus to which the handleand stem construction is ap plied.

The present invention is designed to eliminate the difiiculties inherentin the devices heretofore used, and to provide a frictional holdingmeans for detachably securing a handle to an operating stem or shaftwhich will effectively hold the handle against accidental displacementand yet will permit the handle to be readily applied and removed by aforced axial movement. Also, the construction of this invention willpermit the handle to be easily applied to the shaft and held withincreased frictional resistance as the handle is thrust further onto theshaft into place.

This application is a division of applicants copending applicationSerial No. 140,105, filed May 1, 1937, now patent No. 2,191,294, ofFebruary 20,

1940, entitled Fastening means for detachably securing handles tooperating shafts.

The invention is here illustrated as applied to a valve of the typesuitable for use on gas ranges and the like and a better understandingof the invention may be had by referring to the illustrative embodimentas disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure '1 is 'aperspective view 'of a valve and operating handle embodying attachingmeans constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the stem and handle constructionillustrated in Figure 1'; and

Figure -3 is an end view of the handle shown in Figure 1.

By referring to the drawing, it will be noted that the invention isshown as embodied in a valve i0, having an "operating stem Hywhich is ofnon-round cross section and, in this particular instance, is shown ashaving a D-slurped cross section with the flat surfaces I? cut on oneside and having a groove, as at l3, extending all the way to the outerend of the shaft. This groove may :be provided at any point in thecircumference-of the shaft but is "preferably located'on the diameterwhich extends perpendicular to the fiat side 12 so that thespring placedtherein, as hereinafter described, will urge the flat faces of theoperating shaft and the handle socket in tight holding engagement.

The handle may be of any suitable type but as here illustratedcom-prisesa T-shaped member conveniently formed for manual operation and having ahub 2i] provided with a socket 2 l. The socket 2 l,-as shown in Figure3, is of D-shaped cross section adapted to fitpn'th'eoperating stem orshaft and be held thereon so that there is no relative rotation betweenthem. The handle may be made of any suitable material; such as moldedresins, metal or the like, and when molded from resins the sockets 2|may or may not be provided with a metallic lining.

Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide any depression, groove orany other special means on the inner surface of the socket 21 of thehandle as the holding depends only upon the engagement of the spring 25with the inner surface of the socket.

In this embodiment of the invention, a holding spring 25 is preferablyshaped as illustrated, with its rear portion 26 in engagement with thebase of groove l3 and with a lower intermediate portion 2! also inengagement with the base of the groove so as to provide a two-pointbearing seat for the spring. There is also provided an intermediateraised portion 28 which is tightly engaged'by lugs 29' which are peenedover as illustrated in Figure 2' and thus serves to hold the spring onits seats 26 and 21 in the bottom of the groove. In this form, thespring is securely held by means of the two-point contact 26-21 and Vthe lugs 29-29. It will be apparent that spring 25 provides a resilientcantilever extending upwardly from the point 21 to provide at its uppersurface a frictional spring for engagement with the interior of thesurface of the socket 2| of the handle.

The spring 25 may be made of any suitable spring metal but it has beenfound that very good results are realized when steel wire stock isemployed with a cadmium plated surface. The steel gives the properstrength and resilience for the body of the spring and the cadmiumplating on the surface provides a smooth, greasy-like surface whichpermits the handles to be readily applied and removed from the shaftswithout disturbing the strong frictional holding action bility and thespring will not lose its strength or take a permanent set during use.

Finally, the cadmium coating on the wire provides a smooth, lubricatedsurface which permits the handle to be easily slipped onto and removedfrom the shaft without impairing the strong frictional holding actionestablished by the spring itself.

Equivalent means may be substituted in the construction of the shaft forthe rear portion of the groove l3 and the overhanging lugs 29, as,-forinstance, the rear portion of the groove may be covered over in a mannerto form a recess which may receive and hold the inner portion of thewire member which, due to its arched formation, will be held underinitial tension and thus serve as a means mounting the spring wire inthe groove. The fundamental of this feature of the invention is that thewire be permanently mounted within the groove of the shaft by virtue ofthe fact that the same is arched or bowed to agreater extent than willpermit its ready accommodation within the recess or space in which it ismounted. The result is that the arched holding portion at the inner endof the spring is thus placed under initial tension, whereby itsfrictional engagement with the Walls of the recess or groove provide aneffective frictional action which maintains the spring againstaccidental displacement.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a non-round shafthavinga longitudinal groove therein, a wire member disposed in saidgroove having an arched inner portion and a cantilever spring portion,the arched portion of said spring being supported on the base of thegroove and being held at spaced points by lugs extending from the upperedge of said groove and engaging the upper surface of said archedportion, said cantilever spring extending upwardly and outwardly fromthe bottom of said groove and partially beyond the outer surface of saidshaft, whereby to exert a frictional holding action, and a handle havinga socket therein adapted to receive said shaft and be frictionally heldby said spring.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a non-round shafthaving a recess therein, a wire member disposed in said recess havingits inner portion arched and held in said recess under initial tensionby the confining and holding engagement of opposed portions of the wallsof said recess, said wire having a cantilever spring portion extendingupwardly and outwardly from said recess and partially beyond the outersurface of said shaft and having its end extending downwardly andterminating within said recess and out of contact with the bottomthereof whereby said spring portion may exert a yielding frictionalholding action, and a handle having a socket therein adapted to receivesaid shaft and be frictionally held by said spring.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a non-round shafthaving a longitudinal recess therein, a wire member disposed in saidrecess having an arched inner portion and a cantilever spring portion,the arched portion of said sprnig being held under initial tension inthe inner portion of said recess whereby the same is frictionally boundtherein against accidental displacement, said cantilever spring portionextending upwardly and outwardly from said recess and partially beyondthe outer surface of said shaft whereby to exert a frictional holdingaction, and a handle having a socket adapted to receive said shaft andto be frictionally held by said spring.

GEORGE F. TURNER.

